1,000 Glass Shards
by blackpoppyseed
Summary: Vera Karina, a medical student studying to be a doctor, once again comes in contact with her first love after all the painful years since his disappearance. She is surprised the lost boy she used to know is now a billionaire and the owner of Stephanchi co, a world renowned glass company but there's something more than stunning about his glass. It's out-worldly.


**Just to make it clear, I'm using the same aliens as in the forth kind which will show later in the story. The setting is in Anchorage, Alaska. The main character is a medical student studying to be a doctor. Durring free time she has been getting with other men, particularly the people she works with to try to ease the pain of losing her first love, Stephan when he disapeared a few years ago. **

**Hope you like this. It's a crazy idea, I know, but it came from a dream. Sorry for any slight spelling mistakes. It may start off as a love drama, but it's not. **

She'd been contemplating life or death while a dirty, wicked smirk haunted her in the early hours of the night. Sly eyes had her turning a question in her head over again on disapointing nights like these; what is it worth to live and what is it worth to die?

_No, the bastard couldn't make me feel this way, _she uslesslesly said to herself. Strong emotions would always twist in her head, reminding her he was perfect. He had to be; the recent graduate from the same medical school she was applying for, and already one of the top highest ranked doctors in the whole country.

Dr. Ali. The name had sent chills threw her veins each time she thought of it. Dr. Ali, an overly handsome man born in India, came here to the states with practically nothing. Yet he would make the best out of himself. He also managed to be an excellent womanizer.

He could be, though. Any man as perfect as him had the right, she thought. Oh, those decieving eyes that could be so gentle got the very best of her.

The wintery night upon her was cold as his bitter soul. She plowed through the snowy streets slathered with bits of slush. Some had gotten soaked in her boots and the tips of her toes felt frost bitten, reminding her home was only a short ways a way.

Home. Was it really home? she asked herself, breathing in the dry air. Did I call it home to cover up for the mess it usually was? Fighting and struggling between both her roomate and sister, Jane.

She needed a place where she felt hope. She used to find plenty of it in the hospital where she interned, shadowing the magnificant Doctor who'd take a bit of her heart a long with him.

Often times that hospital in particular, reminded her of disgust and shame instead of a lifes dream and sucsess. Once in a while there was hope lurking in the corners, but only once in a while and lately, once in a while wouldn't be enough.

She used to know love in its purest form. Her hand softly lifted and reached for her heart.

A flash memory of an old face raced in her head like the speed of light, but for the first time it wasn't the face of a doctor. It was a familar face of a silly boy who once had every inch of her heart.

She was suddenly reminded of how she used to play love like a piano sounding the most beautiful masterpeice. A masterpeice she used to know by heart.

Her knees grew weak until they sunk into the snow near an alley way. Tears she fought to keep in streamed down her heavy red cheeks.

That love was lost. A long time ago. And it wasn't a doctor with the world at his feet, it was a boy. A boy who left.

"Vera," she heard a voice. Somehow it echoed in the snowy air. "What the hell are you doing?"

Her eyes peaked from her shaking hands that covered her face. It was Ali.

He took her arm and harshly lifted her up from the snow.

"Are you really that upset?" he grimmaced, his voice stern and steady. He must have gone threw this a million times before. "What we have is nothing serious, you agreed to that."

Vera wiped the snow off her white coat and looked at him just as stiff and stern. Tears still slipped away from her sad eyes.

She gave him one last look of pity and continued walking home. She didn't want to see him again.

Her lowly appartment building showed it's shameful self under the gently falling snow. The moon shined bright between passing clouds, taunting her, Vera Farlan, that it was free in the sky amongst the stars, living a life with no feelings or regret.

The mere sight of the vast heavens brought her face to flush. I won't have all this self pity tonight. Tonight, she decided, would be a night where she'd rather feel nothing at all.

Inside the building she climbed the stairs to the third floor. Her eyes dashed across the numbers 626 on a door a badly painted green. Her fingers, still frozen and numb, took out the keys and unlocked the door where inside it was completely dark and quiet.

She walked threw the small living room to her own room, more like the size of a closet. On the wall was a very large window over looking the city. The hospital was always in plain veiw, taunting her even more than the everlasting skies had.

She crashed on her bed, heart thumping like wild horses in the west.

Dr. Ali was never hers. Love itself, was never hers. Never will it be.

She would have to live with the fact that now his eye's were staring at some girl. His heart was prancing, right this very moment, for some girl, and she wasn't her.

The whole scene where she last saw him replayed in her head. She didn't want it to, but it just came onto her, like Dr. Ali's firm hands when he wasn't in surgery.

"Oh, Vera?" she heard his velvety voice accompaning a light hearted laugh. "I forgot I'm spending the evening with Candice."

Candice, the beautiful green eyed blonde sitting across from him. She must have been perfect in everyway. Rich and flirty, a model to top it all off. He went out of his way to impress her like she even gave a shit.

He was with her right now. Later he'd allow her into his beautiful home, then to his bed. There she'd turn into nothing more than a tally line.

Vera rummaged threw her bag for a small bottle. Enough tears to wash away the skin that made her pale face dribbled off her chin.

Different memories were now put on repeat at the same time. Memories between Dr. Ali and the boy, whose face she'd cover up his. The pain of missing him was worse than anything Ali could do.

She recalled a smile, his body and his touch, their words, both cold and tender. Their memories synced with each other, twisted and turned in such a way until they blended together.

She took out the bottle, feeling it, grasping it. The pills inside would be her salvation tonight.

She opened the bottle, dropping the pills into the palms of her sweaty hands where they would leave a residue. She kept closing her hand tight and opening it. Her fatiged body rocking back and forth to the sound of silence and a love that never was and never will be.

She lay her back on her bed. Before she could open her mouth just a sliver she heard the door slam open. Her body shot right back up.

Quickly she tucked away the bottle when she heard huming and whistling. Her door burst open. The lights turned on.

"Vera?" Jane said, coming threw the door. It was odd for her to be here now. Slathered on her face was the biggest grin Vera had ever seen.

"I'd like to cry along with you, but I can't," Jane squealled.

Jane thumped on the bed next to Vera, drying her tears.

"Forget Dr. Muhmad or whatever," Jane exclaimed. "Someone wants to see us...well, you."

Vera sniffled. Her eyes widened with a new glow.

"I have a feeling you already know," Jane gleamed as she bounced up and danced over to Vera's dresser, pulling out her nicest clothes she wore just the other weekend on a date with Ali.

"Get ready, we are going to a party," Jane said, piling the clothes on Vera.

"No, Jane," Vera growled. "I'm not going. Now now. Not when I'm feeling like this."

"That's exactly why you need to come," Jane smiled.

"Who's party?" Vera asked.

Jane pulled off Vera's white jacket, still stained with a bit of blood from the days work.

"This isn't a typical college party if that's what your thinking," Jane mentioned.

"What are you talking about?" Vera demanded to know as she let down her hair.

"You woun't believe me if I told you," Jane smiled. "We have to look our best. Take a shower if you need too, just get ready."

"JANE!" Vera practically screamed, her face now red as she stood shaking. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Vera, what's gotten into you?" Jane asked shrugging her shoulders.

"It's very complex," Vera scowled.

Jane lowered her head and closed her eyes for a moment. Her cheast heaved in and out, taking a deep breath before she whispered a name under her breath. A name familar enough to perk Vera's intrest.

"What did you say?" Vera asked, not believing what she thought she heard. As a matter of fact, her heart practically stopped all together. The name she spoke was enough to take away all thoughts of Ali.

"Stephan," Jane whispered the name again, now opening her eyes. "He's back."

"Stephan," Vera barely gasped. Her hands now covered her mouth.

"You mean, my...Stephan?" Vere mumbled.

"He's not what he used to be," Jane hushed after she nodded her head, in her voice was a new seriousness. "Forget everything you knew about him. Forget the boy who ran around town, barely getting by in school. Forget that. Everything about him has changed."

Stephan, the silly boy they used to know. Vera was ready to faint to the floor. She had last seen him the day they had broken up. The day he moved without warning.

"He's rich now," Jane uttered. "I mean filthy. Rich."

So, you want to take his money? was Vera's second thought. Her first was the memory of his loving eyes.

"He could pay off all our student loans in an hour," Jane bursted. "But that's not the point. He invited me and you to his party tonight at his mansion."

"What? Why?" Vera choaked as her throat tightened. She almost felt like she couldn't breathe. "Why would he ignore my letters for all this time? Why would he lose complete contanct with me until now?"

"We can ask him when we get there," Said Jane. "I wanted to make this a surprise for you, Vera. Now get ready, forget about a lousy doctor."

No, I can't believe this,Vera kept saying as she raced for a towel. When she stood in the shower, washing her hair as fast as she could, at times she felt like she couldn't breathe. She almost cut herself from her shaking hand five times with the razor.

What were the odds that such a horrible night could turn into one of hope? The thought of Stephan coming in contact with her and Jane was almost as unbelivable as him becoming rich.

She quickly blew dry her hair and put on a decent outfit. A fancy black shirt with dark pants to reflect her mood.

She took one last look in the mirror once the fog had left it, reveling eager eyes with a bit of eyeliner and a tinge of hope.

"Ready?" Jane whispered as she gently took Vera's trembling hand.

Vera softly smiled.

The two of them jumped into the car and down the slushy streets. Vera still had no idea where they were going. Somewhere North of Anchorage city.

"Do you know the adress?" Vera asked.

"Yeah, it's in this text message," Jane said handing Vera her phone.

Vera read the adress. 2729 Delong lane.

"Why did he only text you?" Vera asked.

"Maybe because I still have the same number, stupid," Jane teased. "Jelous now, are you?"

"No," Vera shot back.

Jane smiled.

After a bit of driving and anticipation, they pulled into a long, never ending drive way where two black gates came together.

"What the fuck?" Vera said under her breath. She burried herself deeper into the car seat, her eye's wide open.

Jane pressed a button on a speaker system. There came a ringing for a while until a deep, familar voice answered.

"Vera? Jane?" the voice asked.

"Yes," Jane giggled. "It's us."

There was a pause of unbelief between them and the speaker.

"Go right a head," the voice finally said as the black gates opened.

They started to drive the long path up to a white mansion. Vera was still frozen in her seat just by the mere sound of his voice.

This couldn't be happening to me, Vera kept thinking as she stared at the nice cars lined up all around. It was so quiet you could hear the music from the house playing softly all the way out to were they were.

Both Jane and Vera's jaws dropped as the sat in the car, eying the home.

"How? What?" Vera gasped, holding onto her heart.

"I'm thinking the same thing," Jane replied, her mouth dry.

"Jane, if he came back and was here all this time, why did he ignore me for this long?" Vera whispered sharply. "Do you think he missed us, me? Do you think he cares about us? You don't know how stressed I am over this."

"Maybe he just wanted to impress you," Jane plainly said. "You know how much he loved you Vera. He always thought he was never good enough for you."

Vera's jaw dropped again, staring at Jane with disbelief. Maybe it was true.

"But it all doesn't make sense," Vera gaped as they got out of the car.

They were both speechless as they timidly ambled up to the entry way of the house. Everything about it was new and prestine. The windows hadn't a spot on them. The rug beneath their feet had not a tinge of mud.

"Ready?" Jane asked Vera.

Vera gulped, trying hard to breathe.

Jane opened the large doors.

Inside hung a magnificent shadelear, made up of the most beautiufoul glass they had ever seen. Millions of tiny shards of crystals came together just perfectly to create it.

Music flowed from top of the line stereo systems, endless silky marble lookings floors, a fire place or two, twirly stairs, many important looking people dressed in suits, large leather sofa's and endless tables of glass sets and crystal. By them were price tags.

On the top of the never ending stairs a man dressed finely in black suit. He was ceraintly a china man. Tall with dark hair spiked just perfectly. He was very handsome to say the least. Vera noticed he was looking around, content as a king.

"Vera," She heard Stephans deep voice. She could have fainted.

She turned to him, his crystal blue eye's twinkled underneath the shandelers.

Vera covered her mouth with her hands, her eyes wide. She had never seen him look the way he did now.

"You did good for yourself," Jane smiled brightly, peering around.

"I have," Stephan said contently, still staring at Vera. Something in his voice had changed drastically. He sounded older and more sophisticated. Vera didn't know if she liked it or not.

Something in his eyes that were different. Something very cold. All of him, his presence, the way he stood, they way he smelled, the way he talked was not the same. He was not the boy she used to know.

"This is my home, at least, just for a little while" Stephan smiled, teeth still straight as can be. "Isn't it lovely?"

"Why don't you give us the grand tour?" Jane asked.

"Of course," Stephan smirked.

Vera could already feel her face turning a hot red. Something about him seemed snobby almost. Something about him now made her feel lower than she already felt, yet at the same time, astonished and curious and so mad she could scream at him if words could possibly come out.

"Well," he mentioned as he ran his fingers threw his dark hair. "I see someone's a little unhappy tonight."

Vera clentched her fists.

I wonder if she still wants to be a doctor? Stephan thought to himself. He tried to remember how much he once loved her, but he couldn't. He kept looking at her, trying to understand her longing eyes for him. He wanted to say he was sorry for leaving her all this time, but he had too.

Vera kept turning her head away from his continual unearving gazes. Her eyes became watery.

"Jane, why don't you go get a few drinks over on that table. I have plenty of orderves too," Stephan offered. "I wish to speak to Vera alone for just a moment."

Jane gave him a confused look, "Of course," she said as she headed over to the table.

"Come on, in here," Stephan said, outreaching his stiff arm over Vera's shoulders. They walked into another dinning room. There was a sliding door where no one else could see them.

"I notice you're upset," Stephan said, his lifeless eyes looking into hers. "Please don't make a scene here, I need to make a good impression tonight."

"I missed you" Vera stammered, suddenly remembering why she had put so much effort in trying to think of Ali. Stephans eyes, somewhat hard like stone and disconected, still had her yearning for him once again.

"We loved each other," Vera whispered as she grabbed a hold of his arms.

Stephan tried to remember, but all he could think is how she was making dents in a very expensice outfit with her nails.

"Don't you remember?" Vera cried in a sharp whisper, sinking her nails in deeper. "Did it ever bother you?"

Stephan lowered his head. His eyes remained still.

"I try so hard to forget about you sometimes," Vera admitted, now running her fingers threw her hair. "I just wish you at least said goodbye."

"Things change," Stephan finally muttered.

"I'm sorry, I must sound out of my mind," Vera huffed. "Maybe I am."

"You're not," Stephan replied stifly. "I'm sorry I never said goodbye."

Vera looked away from him, taking one last deep breath. She could feel the tears drying for good.

"Just put those feelings aside for now, will you?" Stephan asked. "You haven't lost it, your still in school right? You still inteligent and independent. I invited you here, so enjoy yourself. I thought a visit would do you some good, that's all."

"Fine," Vera agreed.

For a moment she let her wondering eyes lock with his. It wasn't easy. She couldn't understand what was so different about them now. They were lacking so much.

She began looking everywhere else, admiring all of the crystal glasses on almost everything. It was enchanting.

"I see you have a lot of glass," Vera said walking up to the daziling, fragile tructures. "How beautiful."

"Unbreakible glass from the finest crystal," the words slid perfectly from Stephans lips. "It's my specialty."

"This is what you sell, isn't it?" Vera said, her hands gently prancing over the glass. "It's why you moved."

"I never moved," Stephan said blantly.

"You went somewhere with your father," Vera mentioned. "That's all I knew."

"We went on an expidition. I wasn't allowed to tell anyone," stephan admitted. "I'm still not, however, it's how I came across the method and materials for the glass."

"Where did you go, extactly?" Vera asked, lifting a brow.

Stephan simply smiled. A smile that could almost scare her.

"I have missed you, Vera," he replied, still smiling.

"You aren't the boy I used to know," Vera said, the words slipping from her lips without thought.

"You're right, I'm not," he agreed.

Vera looked up at him in a different way. Her look was curious as she set the glass back down.

"Drop the glass," Stephan ordered. "It won't break."

Vera looked to the glass for a moment before she pushed it hard to the wood floor. It crashed, but the fragile thing didn't break.

"What's it made of?" Vera asked, amused. She picked the glass back up.

In his poket he reached for a key. His long legs walked over to a china cabnet, where he unlocked a drawer and pulled out a glass fortune cookie.

"I think you'll really like this," he said, turning the glass cookie around in his hand.

Vera eyed it. Now he was just showing off. It looked like every other fortune cookie you would find at a chinese resturant, though made of glass and rather beautiful like everything else here.

"Take a look," he said, handing her the cookie.

"It's nice," she said, but it was just nice. She couldn't figure out what was so extavegant about it.

"Open it," he insisted. His eyes dazzled as the glass did.

Vera realized there in fact, was a way to make it open right in half. When she opened it, inside was a thin, long paper as you would find in any other fortune cookie, but no words.

"Pick up the paper," he said softly.

She picked it up. Instantly words started to form in blue ink.

Her eyes widened. There must have been a trick to it.

"What does it say?" Stephan asked.

"I am in danger," Vera replied, her mouth gone dry. She reread the words five times over.

Stephan tried to look at it, even though he couldn't read it. The words only showed itself to the person who it belonged too.

"May I?" he said, taking back the fortune.

He put it all back together again before he reopened it. His hands started to tremble as he backed away just a sliver. He glanced at Vera. A strange look formed in his eyes.

"What does it say?" Vera asked.

Stephan turned to put the furtune cookie away.

Rapid knocking came on the door.

"Stephan, you in there?" a voice said.

"It's Qi," Stephan said as he flew open the doors.

"We must talk," Qi said. He was the china man who was standing on the top of the stairs.

"Qi, I'd like you to meet Vera," Stephan said all business like.

"Nice to see you," Qi bowed quickly, unamused.

"I'll be back, Vera" Stephan said before he began to follow chi threw a crowd of people. "Look around, see if you'd like to make a purchase."

The words danger were all Vera could think of now as she strolled over the table lined with alchohol and mixers, and of course plenty of glasses made with the finest crystal. Jane was still there around a handful of people, talking away about the glass for sale.

"That was a while," Jane winked at Vera. "Have a few drinks, will you?"

"Are you going to buy any of this?" Vera said jokingly, taking a sip of some rather addicting tasting beveradge she wasn't sure what was.

"We can't afford it," Jane mused. "Though they sure are sparkly."

"You know I have never seen such fine crystal," one of the men around them started. "Now, where do you think it came from?"

"Somewhere remarkable I'd say," Jane said, holding up one of the glasses.

"It's processed in such a extravigant way, I'm surprised the prices aren't raised."

Vera glanced over at one of the cups. On it was a price tag that read Stephanchi Co. 588$

While Vera looked threw the glass and noticed a man that wasn't talking to anyone. In a way he almost looked suspicious, pacing back and forth, eyeing the place like a theif.

Vera noticed he started walking upstairs, though there were no glass for sale there and no one was up there. He kept looking from side to side as he walked up them cautiously. He must have thought no one was looking.

"I'll be back," Vera said darting into the crowd.

She followed him up the steps to the second floor. It was all hallway after hall way. There were so many rooms it was unbelievable.

Where did he go?

She opened each door and peered inside. Suddenly a stiff hand grabbed a hold of her shoulder.

"Where are you going?" the man asked.

"I wanted to find the bathroom," Vera lied.

"I'll show you where it is," the guy said, leading her to one of the doors. When he opened it, she could see it was not a bathroom.

"Uh, wrong room," Vera said pushing him out of the way. He pulled her back into the room.

"We can just stay in here for a while if you like?" he offered.

He shut the door, locking them in.

Vera couldn't believe this was happeneing to her. She ran over to the window, looking down to a large balcony where Stephan and Qi were surrounded by a group of men.

"I don't want to hurt you, just tell me what you know about Stephan," the man said quietly, his teal eyes trapped hers.

"Why do you want to know?" she asked, looking deep into the blackness of his pupils.

The man turned in head away from her for a moment, taking in deep breaths. He wanted to say something, she knew it, but something in him wouldn't let him.

"What did Stephan show you in that room?"

Vera froze. She thought of the fortune cookie.

BAM! a gunshot sounded from somewhere in the house. Vera's eyes grew wide, her lips parted and her heart stopped.

Jane!

"I have to get my sister," Vera growled, trying to push him away.

"She's fine, I promise," the man said, holding onto her arms.

"No, please just let me go," Vera cried.

"Listen," the man whispered. "I want to help you."

"From what?" Vera cringed.

"I'm a part of a team of adgents working for the government," he said. "They want to know what is in this glass. They want to know exactly where it came from."

Another gun shot went off. Vera winced.

"Why?" she said. "I don't know anything about it. I have no idea."

"Listen, I want to help Stephan," he whispered, though no one was around to hear. "I want to keep his business going without the goverment interfearing. The only way to do that is to keep them away from him."

Vera's eyes locked with his for a moment. He looked just as afraid as she did.

"If Stephan doesn't do something quick, he will wind up in prison, or even worse, dead," he said, finally letting her arms go.

"I don't know what to tell you," vera uttered.

"I have a feeling you are smart enough to trust," he said as she ran towards the door.

Vera dashed back down the stairs where to a sea of fighting and destruction.

Vera searced for Jane's face, but it wsa hard to see as everything had gone dark with only a few led and black lights.

Maybe she went to find Stephan, on the balcony, Vera said to her self as she raced all around the house threw the crowds of people. It had to be somewhere.

"Everyone out of the house!" A shrill voice screamed. More gunshots sounded.

Finally she found it. Covered by large, heavy curtains in the kitchen was a slidding glass door. She pulled in open and walked out into the cold where Stephan and Qi stood frozen as the iceicles handing from the roof.

Vera grabbed onto Stephan.

"You need to do something," she stuttered.

"I wasn't expecting this," Stephan fretted. "It's the goverment, I already know."

More guns fired.

"They are only shooting to get the customers out of the house," Qi said. "They aren't actually shooting anyone."

"They'll shoot me if they get the chance," Stephan mentioned.

Suddenly Jane came threw the cutains, her hair undone, the tiny bit of makeup she rarely wore were smudged around her fearful eyes.

Vera ran to her, squeezing her hand.

"I'm so glad you're alright," she sighed. "Barely anyones left in the house."

Stephan and Qi raced out of the balcony and back into the dark. They both went in different directions, leaving Vera and Jane by themselves.

All of the lights began turning on again. Now under the light, Chi held a sword made of fine crystal, Stephan a crystal looking gun.

"Out of the house!" Qi yelled to the remaining ten men in suits. "Now!"

The men ran towards him.

Stephan lifted up the gun, and instead of pointing it to the running men, he pointed it to the shandelear. Just as his shot it, a gun from the men fired, and hit at his side.

Stephan practically fell to the ground.

Vera raced towards him, watching as blood started seeping out. She would know exactly what do do if she had the time.

She looked up from to wound to shards on the shandelear. They started to fall, but then they practically flew towards the men. The shards were like crystal birds now, darting around until they sunk their sharp edges into the men's heads.

The men all fell to the ground in a matter of seconds.


End file.
